


Attempted Parenting

by sparkeythehamster



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Gen, Hogwarts, M/M, Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-01
Updated: 2017-03-01
Packaged: 2018-09-27 16:45:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10034099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparkeythehamster/pseuds/sparkeythehamster
Summary: What if Remus had followed through with his threat to go and speak to Snape himself about continuing Harry's Occlumency Lessons. Really couldn't imagine that getting into the Castle with Umbridge around would be easy, but he finds a way to get the message across. At least he hopes he does.





	

This was ridiculous, truly it was. Of course Remus could understand Severus’ anger at Harry having witnessed such a memory, but surely he could understand that they were dealing with bigger issues right now. If Voldemort learned of the connection that he and Harry possessed there was no telling how he might begin exploiting it, in a worst case scenario he might even be able to lore Harry from the castle where he would well and truly be at the mercy of the Death Eaters.

“Remus there’s no need, I’m sure Harry will go and sort things out” Sirius sighed, evidently growing tired of Remus’ pacing.

The ash haired man turned to the darker one, raising an eyebrow disbelievingly, “Would you or James have done so?”

Silence, as Sirius’ dark eyes held their contact with his own, before they glanced down with abashment, then he let out a vicious growl, jumping to his feet.

“I’ll go up to the castle and have a word with him myself, this is my fault, or at least my sixteen-year-old self’s fault, I need to sort this out,” and he made a direct bee-line for the hall where the coats were stored. Remus bolted forward placing a hand on his chest to stop him, pressing lightly. He wasn’t strong enough to stop Sirius, he knew that, so there was no point in using his full strength, but he’d feel the pressure which would hopefully pull him to his senses.

It seemed to do the trick as Sirius stopped, his rigid body relaxing under the touch as he glanced at Remus once more with a slightly softer look in his eyes. The anger at Severus was still there, but it was dulling to make way for worry.

“I’ll go Sirius” Remus told him, “I might be a Werewolf, but I’m not a wanted criminal, your right, someone should go and speak with Severus but it won’t be you.”

The other man grunted in reluctant agreement.

“If Prongs only knew the damage that day had caused,” Sirius shook his head, “I sometimes wonder what he’d say if…” He stopped, swallowing, but Remus knew what he’d been about to say.

Sometimes he too wondered what it would be like if James was still with them. He was sure that he’d be proud of Harry, he would have been proud of his son no matter what, but how would he have reacted to how close to death Harry had come on multiple occasions, what threats would he have issued to The Prophet when Rita Skeeter had been writing those awful things about him?

“I can apparate now” Remus offered, as he felt a hand slide slyly up his back, “I’ll sort things out and be back later, it’s probably best if Harry doesn’t see me or he’ll just draw too much attention.”

Sirius hummed, “You be careful though, that Umbridge is a nasty piece of work, and Dumbledore isn’t there to protect you.”

It was hard not to chuckle at Sirius’ obvious concern for him, “Don’t worry, I can handle myself a lot better than you or James ever gave me credit for.” He stepped back reluctantly away from the warmth of Sirius body, took out his wand and spun on the spot.

For a few moments everything was a blur, and then the next he was standing perhaps half a mile from the Hogwarts gates. Of course, he couldn’t apparate directly inside the Hogwarts grounds, and this would give him time to think of what he was going to say.

He didn’t want to come on too strong as that wouldn’t help, then Severus would feel like he was under attack, but then if he was too sympathetic then the Potion’s Master would think he was being patronizing which might be even worse.

Ideally he wanted to avoid Umbridge and as many other members of the school as possible. Even McGonagall would probably frown if she saw him, the less interaction members of the Order had the better, but Harry was family, and right now Remus was the only one that could go and try and sort this mess out.

Reaching the gates, he found them closed, perhaps he should have been expecting this. He raised his wand to tap it against them, but before it could make contact he made out a figure ambling towards him from the other side, an odd, slightly delayed step that Remus recognised from his own days at Hogwarts.

Filch’s rough face drew closer towards the gate, scowling out at Remus, eyes narrowed slightly as if trying to place him.

“Mr Filch” Remus addressed him pleasantly, “I am here to see Professor Snape, may I come in?”

The old Caretaker’s eyes widened suddenly, a trickle of fear edging their way into the previously suspicious look, he’d obviously found the match to identify him.

“Y-You’re…” He stammered.

“Yes” Remus nodded, a little impatient here, “I really am in a hurry though so if you could just let me through to see Professor Snape.”

Filch hesitated, “I have to tell Professor Umbridge that you’re ‘ere” he told him, still looking frightened, “She’ll want to know.”

“I bet she will” Remus muttered, but quiet enough so that Filch didn’t hear. “Very well, go and tell her.” Really he’d wanted to avoid confrontation with the fowl woman, she really was one of the only people in this world that made him lose his temper, and he’d never even met her, it would take all of his self-control right now to make his way through this.

“Harry needs to continue with Occlumency” He told himself as Filch hurried back in the direction of the Castle, “This is bigger than us, it’s important, whatever I do I will not hex or jinx her.” She’d probably take that as an excuse to have him locked up in Azkaban. Really he was surprised that Hagrid had lasted so long against her, hopefully the large man was making preparations for the day when Umbridge inevitably came for him.

He waited a further half hour at the gates, entertaining himself by watching the trees in the forest swaying in the distance.

Then, finally, he looked up to see several people heading his way.

Straightening up, he smiled, ready to greet them, even though by now he already knew who they were.

The shortest reached him first. She was a very stout toad-like woman dressed all in pink, a large pink bow tied back in her curled greying hair. Her face looked absolutely thunderous, cheeks flapping as she stormed the last few paces towards the gate.

“You!” She snapped.

“I’m sorry dear lady, but I do not believe we have met” Remus replied gracefully, as he eyed the woman he knew to be Dolorous Umbridge, caught somewhere between anger and wariness, his light brown eyes flicking to the pocket of her robes where her hand was stored, no doubt around her wand.

The other two with her were Filch and Severus. Filch was cowering back behind the other two, while Severus was staring at him with white fury, his lip trembling slightly as if he too were holding back from saying something someone else present might find mortally offensive.

Umbridge’s little eyes narrowed at him, “You turn around and leave right now Werewolf” she growled, “Your kind are not welcome here.”

“I simply need to speak with Professor Snape here” Remus pressed, giving Severus a small nod,

“And what could an unemployed Werewolf like you possibly have to discuss with a Hogwarts Teacher?” She demanded, a shoulder twitching as if she’d just been considering pulling her wand on him.

Remus couldn’t prevent his lip from curling slightly at this remark, after all it was her fault he was unemployed in the first place with that stupid decree she’d pushed through a few years back. It was clear that Umbridge had not missed the gesture either as she gave a small start and stepped back, wand drawn now and pointing directly between his eyes.

“I have some concerns about Harry’s Potions work” Remus replied, surely this was innocent enough, after all, with Sirius presumed a murderous lunatic, he was the only remaining friend of Harry’s father, and therefore would show an interest in Harry’s academic progress, particularly at such a vital time. “He’s been giving Harry Remedial Potions I believe, I heard the lessons had stopped?” He spoke casually, but there was meaning in his voice now and he knew that Severus understood.

Umbridge turned to look at the thin black haired man beside her, “Is this true?”

Severus nodded slowly, “As you might expect Professor, the boy shows a distinct lack of talent in more than just one subject and I do not wish him to reflect badly on myself out of sheer incompetence.”

This was a remark that would have angered Sirius if he’d been here, and Remus did not particularly appreciate it either, however, he knew that it wasn’t true so did not see the point in reacting.

“However,” Severus continued, “It became apparent that Potter was wasting my time and was making no improvements, so I brought an end to the lessons.” Severus’ voice was icy and cold, and he was surveying Remus was the utmost dislike, perhaps with an even stronger strain of resentment than usual considering the memory that Harry had seen.

“Well there you are” Umbridge hissed, her wand still pointing at him, “Now be off with you, shoo,” she swept her free hand as if shooing a stray dog, “And if you refuse I will be forced to apprehend you for posing a threat to the safety of the students and myself, Dolorus Jane Umbridge, headmistress of Hogwarts School and Senior Undersecretary to Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic.”

Remus doubted this woman had enough magical ability to ‘apprehend’ him if he truly chose to fight back, Filch as a squib would of course be no help to her, and he wasn’t sure what Severus would do, although he couldn’t imagine that he’d assist the woman who had thrown Dumbledore from the castle.

Of course he wasn’t going to attack her, he reminded himself, that would be ridiculous and would help no one, however much he wanted to.

He turned once more to Severus imploringly, “Please, these Potion lessons are really important to Harry, you know they are, who knows what will happen if you don’t help him.”

The other man sniffed, “Fail his O.W.L most likely,” then his turned on his heel and stormed back up to the castle without another look back. While it didn’t seem like his attempt had worked, Remus hoped that maybe he’d at least given Severus reason to reconsider.

Umbridge looked about ready to fire at him, so Remus turned to go, just as a jolt of something smacked him in the small of the back, sending him flying forwards.

Seizing his wand instinctively, he rolled around onto his back, pointing it back towards the gate. The hair on the back of his neck rising at that smug little look on the stout woman’s face, his anger was showing to. It was one thing to draw a wand on someone while they were unarmed, it was quite another to hit them in the back while they were walking away.

Filch had bolted, and Remus noticed Severus had stopped in his progress towards the castle, even though he hadn’t turned.

Remus staggered slowly back to his feet, wand still raised, his arm stung, he must have grazed it in the fall.

“You know the last I checked the law said only Wizards and Witches could carry wands” Umbridge called, an airy but snide tone in her voice, her temper appeared to have vanished, but Remus suspected that Slytherin mind was still at work.

“And the last I checked Werewolves are recognised as humans afflicted with lycanthropy” Remus challenged back, not daring to lower his own wand, but knowing he should be backing off, “Although it seems that other areas of the law have not been quite as conscious of this.”

This didn’t seem to bother Umbridge who just smiled back at him in sweet hostility.

Taking a step back, Remus began to edge back down the path, not turning his back this time. He’d probably just done a lot of damage for Werewolf rights that Dumbledore would not thank him for, but he wasn’t sure what else he could have done.

He waited until he was out of sight of the school gates before spinning on the spot and apparating back to Grimmauld Place where Sirius was waiting eagerly for him in the living room where he’d been left.


End file.
